Mary E. Knight

“She stood in the storm and when the wind did not blow her way, she adjusted her sails.” - Elizabeth Edwards

“Breast cancer saved my life and allowed me to live” are the words I now often tell my family and friends. Yes, you heard right ... Breast Cancer, a chronic illness that is yet devastating and ALL consuming, SAVED MY LIFE and ALLOWED ME TO LIVE. Now let me paint the picture of how!

The summer of 2015 was just like any other summer, hard at work and always on the go. I barely had time to rest. From being a wife, mother, daughter, grandma, aunt, sister, soror and friend. You name it, I was all hands on deck and fully involved. That was until my world came to a screeching halt by a huge, painful boil under my breast. The pain was so excruciating, it was unbearable. So much so, I rushed to the ER to have it lanced. Only to discover a few weeks later after my follow up x-ray and mammogram, I had early stage breast cancer. BREAST CANCER, two words that would change my life forever. BREAST CANCER, something I never saw coming. Something I wasn't prepared for. Something I didn't ask for. Yet, there I sat with a doctor telling me I indeed, in fact, had BREAST CANCER.

With a new diagnosis and nowhere to look but up ... I, Mary Knight, found my zeal to live. You see, at that very moment I realized I spent so much of my life working and going through the motions, I wasn't LIVING! And even though at that moment I had the love of family and friends, the accomplishment of a successful career; the enjoyment to various vacation destinations ... I still wasn't Living! And after 67 years of life ... I finally get it.

“For God did not give us a spirit of fear, but of power and love and of a sound mind.” - 2 Timothy 1:7

I remind myself of the little girl who was born and raised in Perry County, AL; who was full of life. She grew into a woman that became a pillar of strength in her now community of Tuskegee, AL. She has been a lady of grace and faith within her church family. She has been a devoted wife, a caring daughter and mother of two daughters. She is a supportive and loving grandmother of 8, great grandmother of 3, and a faithful friend and colleague to many. Yes, I am a retired school teacher (science educator), a former basketball coach, cheerleader advisor, Child and Adolescent Mental Health Case Manager, and Tuskegee University Upward Bound teacher and Residence Life - Hall Director; and my life is not yet over. This is another just the beginning. I still have so much life to live. My journey is still being written. And as the scripture says, “Jesus came so that I (Mary Knight) may have life and have it more abundantly. And with that declaration and a new lease on life ... That's exactly what I have done!

Hello My Name Is Mary E. Knight and I AM A BREAST CANCER SURVIVOR ... Living the Abundant Life!